ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Modern US-made weapons abandoned in Afghanistan following the American withdrawal are reportedly being used in terrorist attacks in Pakistan, raising serious security concerns across the region.
A detailed report by CNN states that these weapons now pose a significant threat not only to Pakistan but also to Afghanistan’s neighboring countries. The arms were originally supplied to strengthen the capacity of the former Afghan military but were left behind in large quantities during the US exit.
According to John Sopko, former head of the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), approximately 300,000 advanced US weapons remained in Afghanistan at the time of withdrawal. CNN reports that terrorist groups accessing these weapons have increased the intensity and scale of attacks, creating particular concerns for Pakistan, Iran, and China.
The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) are reportedly using these modern US-made rifles, machine guns, and sniper weapons. Among the arms in use are M-4 and M-16 rifles, M-249 machine guns, Remington sniper rifles, and night vision devices. CNN notes that the US officially designated the BLA as a terrorist organization in August 2025.
Pakistani security forces showed CNN reporters the US-marked weapons recovered from terrorists. Investigations indicate that the same advanced arms were used in several attacks in South Waziristan and Balochistan.